This invention relates to a connector configured to be mounted on a circuit board and configured to be mated with a mating connector.
For example, this type of connector is disclosed in JP-A H10(1998)-106684 (Patent Document 1) or JP-A H10(1998)-172685 (Patent Document 2), contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
As shown in FIG. 27, the connector 900 of Patent Document 1 is mateable with a mating connector 940. The connector 900 comprises contacts 910, a housing 920 holding the contacts 910, and a shell 930 covering the housing 920. Each of the contacts 910 has a Surface Mount Technology (SMT) portion 912 configured to be fixed on a circuit board (not shown). The housing 920 and the shell 930 constitute a body portion of the connector 900. The connector 900 has a gap formed between the body portion and the circuit board (not shown). The SMT portion 912 of the contact 910 extends outward of the shell 930 through the aforementioned gap. Accordingly, it is relatively easy to check whether the SMT portion 912 of the contact 910 is securely fixed to the circuit board or not. On the other hand, the contact 910 tends to be contaminated.
As shown in FIG. 28, the connector 950 of Patent Document 2 comprises contacts 960, a housing 970 and a shell 980. Each of the contacts 960 has an SMT portion 962. The shell 980 is fixed to the housing 970 and a circuit board 990 by using a screw 985 after the SMT portions 962 of the contacts 960 are fixed to the circuit board 990. The SMT portion 962 is enclosed by the shell 980. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the contact 960 form being contaminated.
However, when the connector 950 of Patent Document 2 is installed to the circuit board 990, it is necessary to fix the shell 980 to the circuit board 990 by the screw 985 after checking whether the SMT portions 962 are fixed to the circuit board 990 or not. Accordingly, it is a cumbersome work to install the connector 950. Moreover, the shell 980 might fail to be attached.